Nearly 600 nursing students spent their summer providing patient care, strengthening clinical skills, and preparing to enter Mississippi’s health care workforce through the 2026 Mississippi Summer Student Nurse Externship Program.
This summer, 592 nursing students were employed by hospitals across the state through the longstanding program, which provides hands-on clinical experience while helping hospitals build a strong pipeline of future nurses. Administered through a partnership between the Mississippi Council of Deans and Directors; MHA Health, Research and Educational Foundation (MHA Foundation); and Mississippi Hospital Association Organization for Nursing Leadership (MONL), the program has evolved into a successful annual health care workforce development initiative.
“The externship program continues to demonstrate that investing in students today strengthens our health care workforce for tomorrow,” said Richard Roberson, President and CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA). “Hospitals across our state are committed to developing the next generation of nurses, and this program gives students meaningful clinical experience while helping hospitals recruit and retain talented professionals. As workforce challenges continue, initiatives like this are essential to ensuring Mississippi patients have access to high-quality care for years to come.”
The externship program pairs nursing students with experienced nurse mentors in hospitals across Mississippi, allowing students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world clinical settings while building relationships with potential future employers. Students complete 320 hours of supervised clinical experience and earn three hours of college credit.
The program operates under established statewide guidelines, including approved clinical skills, practice parameters, and program requirements developed by the Externship Committee established by the MHA Foundation. These standards ensure a consistent, high-quality learning experience for every participating student, school of nursing, and hospital.
The MHA Mississippi Center for Quality and Workforce (MCQW) coordinates and supports the statewide program. In 2026, 26 Schools of Nursing were approved to participate with 44 hospitals employing nurse externs during the summer.
“The continued success of the externship is a testament to the dedication of Mississippi’s hospitals, nursing schools, nurse leaders, and students,” said Dr. Kim Hoover, President and CEO of the MHA Foundation. “Year after year, we see this program provide students with invaluable clinical experience while creating lasting connections that lead many of them back to Mississippi hospitals after graduation. It is incredibly rewarding to watch this program continue to grow and strengthen the future of nursing in our state.”
Program data consistently show that many nurse externs return to the hospitals where they completed their externships after graduation to begin full-time nursing careers, helping strengthen recruitment and retention efforts across Mississippi.
To learn more about the Mississippi Summer Student Nurse Externship Program, visit https://mhanet.org/Online/MCQW/Workforce.aspx or contact Robin Powell at [email protected].